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So spent a couple of therapeutic hours jet washing the patio this afternoon - first clean of the year.
What can I use to keep it cleaner for longer?
Will need to be dog friendly.
Wet & Forget if you get algae or lichen, did mine today. The actual jet washing I wait until around time the clocks go back or law needs its first cut.
If you haven’t got one already then it’s definitely worth getting the specific patio cleaning head for your jet washer.
Hose and brush.
Wet & Forget in preference. Jet wash gets it clean but produces a nice surface for the next growth.
I use Patio Fresh (& a pressure washer), but it needs to be done reasonable regularly, as it's not the harshest of chemicals being pet friendly. With last year being so wet, it struggle to stop the green creep and TBH I gave up trying.
I cleaned mine a couple of years ago (probably nearer 5years now I think about it).
I used a patio head on the jet wash with no chemicals - just the jetwash & water.
While looking at the best way to do it, I saw numerous websites/forum-posts etc saying that it is not a good idea to jet wash a patio or block paving/brickwork as it removes the 'sealed' top surface and it then gets dirtier much quicker in the future. I was never sure how true this was and the area I cleaned is in a sorry state anyway, so it didn't seem to much of a pain to just do it.
Once I'd cleaned it, I used some Screwfix no nonsense patio & driveway sealer to try & keep it looking good for longer. I just used a roller on a long handle.
It did actually keep it looking pretty good for a couple of years, but definitely needs doing again.
Pressure washing does strip the top layer from concrete based paving, exposes all the aggregate. Ok if it's only done a couple of times but I've probably jet washed my patio twice a year for the last 15 years and it doesn't look great anymore.
Wet and forget helps, sealing it probably even more so.
I could do to give mine a clean... I've got a bottle of jayes fluid under the sink somewhere... Will that do any good or am I better off using something else?
I don't have a jet washer so I'll just be scrubbing it a bit with a stiff garden broom?
I could do to give mine a clean... I've got a bottle of jayes fluid under the sink somewhere... Will that do any good or am I better off using something else?
I don't have a jet washer so I'll just be scrubbing it a bit with a stiff garden broom?
I did that years ago when I didn't have a jet wash, but did have a treacherously slippery patio covered in that thin film of green slime that is slicker than an ice rink at the first sign of moisture.
It didn't really clean up the surface too much, but it did get rid of all the slippery slime, so was a good thing to do from that perspective.
I suspect how successful this is will strongly depend on type of surface, how old, when cleaned last, how vigorous is your brush etc.
Ours (sandstone) seems to have gone particularly green this year.
Someone suggested cheap biological washing powder to make getting the green slime and underlying black gunk off a bit quicker. Then spot treat it with oxy cleaner to get rid of any more permanent stains.
With Wet and Forget do I need to clean our sandstone slabs first?
Just done ours with patio magic. Environmentally friendly apparently (and pet friendly). Finished around 0930 and already looking a lot better. Was pretty green where the winter sun doesn't shine. Generally do it once a year but as it's so early this year might give it another go late spring.
I could do to give mine a clean... I've got a bottle of jayes fluid under the sink somewhere... Will that do any good or am I better off using something else?
I don't have a jet washer so I'll just be scrubbing it a bit with a stiff garden broom?
Jet washers are the most funnest things there are. I 'stencil' footprints on the patio, along the path etc. All sorts of patterns, a bit like those dance step diagrams from yesteryear. Also good to clean things too.
I like to keep my patio pretty clean TBH because it's the main thoroughfare into the house. I also dislike wearing shoes indoors so often pop out in socks or bare feet. The patio is made from pavers donated by SaxonRider and transported here by Gnusmas both 'of this parish'.
I am uncertain about how power washers are supposed to remove the top layer of a ceramic brick that's been fired at approx 1000*C. Also, I cannot see how any product designed to kill plants, algae and fungi could realistically be described as environmentally friendly.
25% off at the Karcher website today with code 'New25'. Celebrating their new website or .. .. something.
KARCHER.COMRemember you need a washer with a fair bit of puff to get the terrace washer to work properly.
Depending how big your terrace is, if it's on stone, paving or similar ( I have to do a drive, parking spaces as well) you'll get a better job if you do it when it's raingin, or been raining to stop it drying and soaking back in.
The patio cleaning head does a good job if you go slow, i am not actually that convinced its worth it when you compare with the ability draw absolutely massive cock and balls with the standard head.
+1 we've a fairly substantial pressure washer and the patio cleaner is still fairly pathetic, I'm not convinced it's any quicker than just jetwashing it. It might be slightly less aggressive on concrete. And (sloppy connections aside) you can use it to scrub off detritus as you go.
Cleaning chemicals are needed if you're using a brush. I've never been convinced they made a jot of difference to the jetwashing.
I do use bleach where the grape's or elderberries fall and stain the sandstone. And a bottle of patio rust remover to spot treat where the furniture sits.
I am uncertain about how power washers are supposed to remove the top layer of a ceramic brick
From first hand experience they do a pretty good job with most concrete based paving. Ive just over tiled my aging faux terracotta concrete tiles with outdoor ceramic tiles, so far so good.
I just followed Marshalls paving advice as its their slabs , Wet and Forget , they used to brand their own but that's what they recommend now .No need for power washing just read the part of the instructions that advised patience! Apply it , leave it , doesn't look impressive straight away , give it time!
I came here to say "Wet & Forget", but it seems I have been beaten to it several times 🙂
So spent a couple of therapeutic hours jet washing the patio this afternoon - first clean of the year.
What can I use to keep it cleaner for longer?
Will need to be dog friendly.
mum uses this stuff below for the pavement outside her door/front of house and in her yard, she’s impressed with it
I have a the patio cleaning head for ours. Its only an entry level pressure washer and first time I used the head it was disappointing, but you just need to slow the pace down and it works fine. Then used Algone on it, which is probably the same as Wet and Forget or anything like that. I did a test patch on 2 slabs and they stayed much cleaner than the surrounding area for a good year or so.
But also, I've got to thinking - why bother? Our garden isn't a catalogue for anything, and it uses an awfy lot of water. I'm past caring enough to use water up for a clean patio.
Before and after using a pressure washer and some Scrubb patio cleaner/black spot remover stuff. We think it worthwhile, others 🤷♂️
Before and after using a pressure washer
After and before hopefully!
In this current climate why are people using precious clean water on a patio. Let the weeds grow. There are elephant hawk moth caterpillars up our drive in the foliage, bees are feeding on the wild flower heads and birds on the seeds.
The neighbours prob hate us for not scraping every last bit of moss off, but nature loves us.
you could go mtbike riding in the time it takes to clean.
